As the UK ageing population continues to rise, it poses economic, social and political challenges as we adapt. Health and Social Care services face unprecedented financial and operational demands for services under constrained resources. The dependency on our older citizens and those that informally care for their loved ones has therefore increased, particularly as more people wish to stay in their own home for longer. For people over the age of 65 that live alone, live in poor housing conditions or in poverty, are at greater risk. We know that existing housing stock is among the oldest in Europe, but with that comes a high cost to our health and care services. It is estimated that unsuitable housing costs the NHS £624m for the first year, mainly due to hazards and falls. However, without this spend, reduces a healthy quality of life and a person's ability to live independently. The reactive cycle of demand then continues, leaving the UK at crisis point as we now reach unprecedented levels of much needed change. E.ON UK have embraced a systematic innovative approach to address the concerns of our ageing society, with a primary focus on identifying the correct problem to be solved. With billions of pounds already being spent on research and innovation across countries, identifying and reacting to address a worldwide ageing concern, we see the customer needs are not being fulfilled by delivering solutions in isolation. However, we recognise that this isn't necessarily about re-inventing, it's about innovatively collaborating and joining up services, challenging the status quo, and learning from the work already done. We are taking a whole new approach by bringing together a team of experts to help us. 'Homes for Living' is keeping a focus on aspirational living and that if a home isn't suitable because; it creates isolation, it's cold, damp, or unsuitable as we grow older; it can become a hazardous place to live, or even force people to leave their home. By building on energy efficiency services, joining up existing and new innovations, a whole-house-solution can be created with inclusivity, dignity and independence in mind. With dual-purpose, aesthetically pleasing adaptations; a smart kitchen that is designed for any generation; combined with smart care at your fingertips, a home can continue to be a place of comfort and support you throughout a persons life journey.

Awaiting Public Project Summary

"Energy Autonomous Community will investigate the opportunities arising from the development of a Virtual Power Network (VPN) and flexibility marketplace on the Isle of Wight. It will create a local smart system, with the flexibility marketplace at its heart, which will allow the Island to improve its local energy management and usage and to progress its energy autonomy vision, to be self-sufficient in electricity from renewable sources. The Isle of Wight is already experiencing many of the grid capacity issues that are expected to occur nationally as the energy revolution gathers pace. It has identified the need for a smart grid solution to facilitate its vision, given the physical and financial obstacles to further traditional reinforcement. The concept and design study will focus on the West Wight area which contains approximately 15,000 households, including a significant proportion (20%) of off-gas properties. It will investigate how consumers can utilise electricity in a smart way by storing (both thermally and electrically) and using electricity during periods of high renewable generation, and reducing demand during low production periods. This process is known as 'load shifting' and various means of achieving this will be investigated. This includes domestic systems which integrate rooftop PV, domestic battery storage and electric vehicle (EV) charging systems with the heating component; public EV charging points which have variable tariffs depending on the amount of local generation available; and large battery storage systems connected to solar farms. Together, these solutions will ensure maximum power usage of real time renewable generation. The study will investigate how flexibility can give all generators the option to sell power into the local flexibility market and connect local generation more directly with local consumers. This is likely to require new commercial models such as peer-to-peer (P2P) trading and a platform which manages the flexibility system by informing consumers when cheaper local power is available. These new models will be fully investigated to ensure that they can deliver consumer choice and energy security. This concept and design study will explore the transition to low carbon generation. Whilst it will take place on the Isle of Wight, the results are likely to be replicable in any area in the UK with a desire for high levels of distributed generation and a wish for the community to be a primary beneficiary of that generation."

This proposal is for a large-scale V2G demonstrator, deployed in groups and controlled by an innovative aggregator platform stacking multiple services that supports a more efficient electricity system and decreases ownership costs to vehicle users. The project Consortium is composed by participants from typically disconnected sectors including car companies, infrastructure providers, energy services, and the public sector. The demonstrator includes commercial/delivery and public service vehicles, using V2G-ready models. The project will evaluate the response of distinct consumer groups (which together are highly representative of the target market) to commercial V2G offers. Data collected will be used to test and refine different business cases and reward mechanisms for providing V2G services, generating insights on receptiveness and acceptance of V2G operation. The demonstrator will determine the technical and commercial potential of V2G to support the GB electricity system. The innovative V2G platform will stack multiple services to the System Operator and Distribution Network Operators participating in the project. Distribution, transmission and whole-electricity system models will be used to assess system-wide impacts, benefits and potential revenues from V2G. The project will identify key barriers in the policy and regulatory framework, market barriers and cybersecurity issues, and propose solutions so that V2G can contribute to much needed system flexibility. Learning outcomes will be exportable to electricity systems worldwide. Widespread sharing of project findings, through industry events and publications, will build confidence in and help grow the V2G sector. Learning outcomes will be used by the consortium and the wider UK industry to rapidly deploy V2G business models and encourage significant take-up of ULEVs over the next 5-10 years, optimizing their potential as a resource and improving flexibility and efficiency of the electricity network.